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Remains of a Church at Acre.

CHAP. I.

VOYAGE FROM SYRIA TO EGYPT.

The Romulus makes preparation for sailing-The Author takes leave of Djezzar-Further Account of Acre-Existence of the POINTED ARCH in the Holy Land, and elsewhere in the EastAnecdote of Deare, an English SculptorVoyage to Egypt -Accident which befel the Romulus-Arrival at Aboukir-The Braakel receives Orders to convoy a Squadron to Marseilles-French Prisoners-Author narrowly escapes being conveyed to France-Worship of Astaroth upon Mount Libanus-Dangerous Passage of the Bar at the mouth of the NileFort St. Julian-State of Affairs in Rosetta

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-Price of Provisions-Manufacture of Coffee -Curious remains of Pointed Arches-Probable Consequence of the Interruption of Mecca Pilgrimage Exhibition of the PSYLLI, or Serpent-Eaters.

CHAP. THE most active preparation for sailing was made upon our return to the Romulus frigate. The Ro- Upwards of sixty bullocks were on board, and makes pre- forty more were afterwards added to the numfor sailing. ber. Every exertion was then made to get in

mulus

paration

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the necessary supply of fresh water. We brought great part of the freight of melons from the Jaffa boat, to carry to the fleet off Aboukir ; and a more acceptable donation can hardly be imagined, for almost all its supplies came from England: fruit and vegetables were particularly

scarce.

In our last visit to old Djezzar, we found his health visibly on the decline; but there was nothing he seemed more anxious to conceal from the knowledge of his subjects. The well known fable of the dying lion was constantly present to his imagination; and no one better understood its moral application. Like the generality of ancient fables, it is, in fact, strikingly applicable to the policy and manners

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of Eastern nations. Although the repose and CHAP. stillness of his charem were better suited to the preservation of his life than the public duties of his palace, he knew too well the consequences of a rumour proporting his inability to transact the affairs of his government, and therefore more readily granted audience to persons requesting admission to his presence; continuing his usual practice of cutting watchpapers, but being less ostentatious of his bodily vigour, and the exhibition of his Herculean strength. We found him, as before, with his feet bare, and a bottle of water by his side; but a more than ordinary covering of turbans appeared about his head and neck. Having thanked him for the many obligations he had conferred upon us, he inquired concerning our late journey, and seemed to possess great knowledge of the country, as well as some degree of information respecting its ancient history. Adverting to the dispute which took place between the Author and one of the escort, in the Plain of Esdraelon, (of which he had been informed,) he cautioned us against the imprudence

(1) In the time of Aristophanes there were three kinds of fables ; the Libyan, which was the most ancient, the Sybaritic, and the Esopian.

(2) See p. 84 of Volume IV. 8vo. edit.

CHAP. of striking an Arab, unless with power put him instantly to death; adding, "If you had been anywhere but in Djezzar's dominions, and under his protection, you would not have lived to tell the story. I know the inhabitants of this country better than any man, and have long found that they are not to be governed by halves. I have been deemed severe; but I trust you have found my name respected, and even beloved, notwithstanding my severity." This last observation was strictly true; for, in spite of all his cruelty, such was the veneration in which they held the name of Djezzar in the Holy Land, that many of the Arabs would have sacrificed their lives for him. As we were about to take leave, he acknowledged, for the first time, that he did not feel himself well, and complained of want of sleep; asking us if we perceived any change in his health. His Interpreter told us that he had never before known an instance of a similar confession; and argued, from this circumstance, that he would not long survive it; which proved to be true, although his death did not immediately follow1. His last moments

(1) He was afterwards visited by Colonel Squire, in company with Major Leake of the Artillery, and Mr. Hamilton. The last of these gentlemen, it seems, as Private Secretary of the Earl of Elgin, had some diplomatic arrangements to make with Djezzar, and wished to

were characteristic of his former life. The per- CHAP. son whom he fixed upon for his successor was

gain information with respect to the commerce and condition of Syria. These circumstances are related in Colonel Squire's MS. Journal, from which the following is an Extract. The party sailed from Alexandria, on Monday, April the 5th, 1802; and came to anchor off the town of Caiffa on the morning of April the 9th.

"At noon (April 9th) we went on shore, and endeavoured to see the Sheik (Governor) of Caiffa. At this moment we could not see him; for the day (Friday) being the Mohammedan Sabbath, he was engaged at the Mosque. In the interval, we proposed to make a small tour without the town; but we were told that the gates were then shut, and that they would not be opened until the prayers at the Mosque were ended: this, as it appears, is a custom in many parts of the East; for they fear that while the Mussulmen are engaged in the duties of their religion, the Christians may enter secretly, and take the place y surprise :-indeed, they have a tradition to this effect. After the noon-prayer was concluded, we had an audience of the Sheik, in a miserable smoked chamber; the key of which, after a great search and inquiry, was with some difficulty procured. He regaled us with coffee; and as there was only one extra pipe for the accommodation of his guests, it was passed from one person to another; and we smoked alternately. During our conference, an unfortunate swallow, which had taken up its abode in the Sheik's mansion, was constantly hovering over our heads. In the course of conversation, the Sheik observed, that he was born near England, as he was a native of Algiers: he alluded to our fortress of Gibraltar: for the Turks consider all our foreign possessions as England. Ismael Pasha, a respectable Turk, declared he had been in England, because he had once visited Gibraltar. After coffee and pipes, we proceeded towards Mount Carmel. This mountain, which may perhaps be two hundred feet above the level of the sea, is covered with a variety of shrubs and aromatic plants, which may render the air as wholesome as it is fragrant and agreeable: the ascent was by a slope; and this, although now covered with weeds and brambles, appears to have been, formerly,

For the universality of the superstition with regard to the swallow, the Reader is requested to refer to p. 265, and Note, of Vol. II. of these Travels, 8vo. edition: also to v. 149 of the Electra of Sophocles, where the same bird is called Aiòç ayyελos. See the end of Chap. vii. Vol. IV.

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